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20
Sat, Apr

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I saw an interesting cartoon in an Antiguan newspaper last week.

It was a house of cards collapsing on a football field. 

I could not make out the game but it was not whappie, rummy or even poker. 

From my reckoning, the game was All Fours. 

It had to be.   

Football is no longer the "beautiful" game but has become the High, Low, Hang-Jack game.

Here is Jack Warner, on a HIGH in world football and Trinidad politics, the King-maker in one and the Queen-maker in the other. 

Next thing you know one of his old associates and confidantes, Chuck Blazer, accuses Jack of bribery and the man Jack served faithfully for so many years, Sepp Blatter, engineers Jack's suspension from his FIFA post and then rubs salt in the wound by banning Jack from any contact with CONCACAF football and its officials until Jack's matter has been heard. 

In other words, Jack has been brought down LOW.

The majority of insiders and the media have said that we are seeing the end of Jack as a force or even a player in World Football. 

As far as they are concerned Jack is history. 

They think the trial or hearing is really a rubber stamp and Jack will be disgraced and deposed. 

Jack's attempt to get his Barbadian Deputy, Lisle Austin, to fire the man who ratted on him, Chuck Blazer, seemed to have ended up as a triumph for Blazer and disaster for Jack and Austin. 

CONCACAF, the organisation that Jack ruled with both an iron and a golden fist, turned against Jack. 

The Executive Committee made it clear that the sacking was unauthorised and that Austin did not have the authority to fire anybody. 

Now if that isn't a HANG JACK, I don't know what is.

But to get all six points you need to get "game". 

Game is not as simple as kicking or hanging Jack. 

It is the accumulation of "high-card" points along the way or how many Aces, Kings, Queens and Tens you have been able to win during the course of the match. 

Right now it seems that Blatter and his boys are holding all the high cards and Jack is left with the trash.

They have won every "lift" in the match so far.

There is a danger here in underestimating Jack. 

He did not get his wealth or power from being "Mr Nice Guy". 

He may have fallen from grace but not from Kamla. 

The signals so far is that whatever happens to his football career, he is still the Government's MOWT and will remain so for the foreseeable future.  While we have not heard from Spalk who was outspoken on the Mary King matter but may have COPped out on this one because of his closeness to Jack, we have heard from Prakash who wants Jack sidelined until the FIFA decision. 

Prakash's pronouncement has fallen like a stone in the sea. 

Not even Anand dares to touch it.

Some of us wonder though whether this state of affairs will last for much longer. 

There is a curse that befalls any minister that is perceived to be out-performing the Prime Minister. 

Sadiq Baksh fell prey to it as Works Minister. 

Wendell Mottley's political career died because of it. 

Now it is Jack's turn. 

If old-time moviegoers think "The Curse of the Pharoah" was bad, this double curse will be worse. 

Long ago we used to say, "Give Jack his Jacket and Jim his jim (gym)-boots" but in this case instead of Jack getting a jacket he got a Blazer. 

As for the gym-boots, his marching orders may soon come.